Katharina V. Hajek, M.A.

Science: B.A. in Communication Science & Economics, Law, and Social Science from the University of Erfurt, including a semester at the University Complutense de Madrid (ERASMUS-funded; B.A. & M.A. Classes) [2009-2012]. M.A. in Communication in Social and Economic Contexts from the Berlin University of the Arts [2012-2015]. Current Ph.D. pursuit at Berlin University of the Arts, exploring the emotional process of psychological reactance in communication with neighboring projects looking at reactance in multimodal framing, social media communication, text and climate communication. Funded by the Foundation of the German Economy (sdw).

Visiting researcher at the University of California, Berkeley [3/2022-12-/2022] as a member of the CSTMS working group, student at Berkeley DLab, graduate Student in the colloquia of Prof. Dr. Iris Mauss (emotion regulation, physical well-bing and ‘positive’ emotions], and Prof. Dr. Dacher Keltner (Emotion Psychology, Happiness Lab).

Since December 2023, together with Dr.Lara Kobilke (LMU), part of the research team of the bidt-funded project “Measuring Reactance” at the Department of Media and communication (IfKW) at at Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich (with Carsten Reinemann).

Non-academic work (excerpt): Scientific Lead in product development in a Startup [2021-2023]; Freelancing Communication Specialist, Podcaster, Speaker [ongoing]; Communication Specialist with a focus on mental health and brand development in health communication [2015-2020]; freelancing journalist [2008-2016].

Initiatives: Spokeswoman for the network of young academics in political communication research [2021-2023]; sdWomen (network for female professionals; initiator of a fear free news portal (angstfrei.news) [2020-2021]; founder of Berlins biggest pop choir “Unität” [2014, ongoing].

Resarch Focus:

Psychological Reactance | Dynamics of Resistance | Emotion Psychology and Motivation processes | Home and Belonging.

Publications